Mixer



April 6, 1937. w. M. RYAN ET AL. 2,075,163

' MIXER Filed May 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FgzA April 6, 1937. w. M.RYAN ET Al. 2,076,163

Patented Apr. 6, 1937 'UNTE STTES dilif PATENT MIXER New York, N.

Y., a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1933, Serial No.669,694

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to mixing machinesof the rotary drum or barreltypes, into which the products may be fed in one end of the drum andissued -at its other end.

While many developments and designs of a practical nature of thisparticular art are already known, it nevertheless has not been possibleto devise a mixer that would comprise a combination of desirablefeatures, which not alone will renw der its operation more eicient, butwill also make the machine more suitable for the manipulation of certaintypes of products, such as foodstuffs, for instance.

In mixing products, which require careful handling and vigilantattention, as for instance coffee, nuts, grain, seeds and otherperishable goods, it is found desirable to. protect the same as much aspossible, and to eliminate all chances of having undesirable ordetrimental elements and inuences come in contact with these products.

It is also found desirable to provide a machine which would furnish ameans whereby it is possible to pass the products into and out of themixing mechanism without causing the same to stop its operation duringtheir passage.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mixer forfoodstuffs which will entirely cover and enclose these products, whilethey pass into and out of the machine, and while they are subjected tothe process of mixing as Well.

It is another object to provide a mixer into which the covered andenclosed products may enter as well as pass therefrom while the drum isrotating.

It is also an object to continuously feed into, as well as continuouslydischarge products from the mixer automatically, while a definitequantity thereof remainsl in the drum and is being mixed.

It is a further object to cause the discharge of products from themixing drum by means of an overflow.

It is another object to provide a drum of which its mixing blades arelocated in such a manner to throw the product from side to side duringrotation, so as to give a good mixture.

It is a further object of this invention to not alone rotate the drum,but to also provide means to tilt the same during rotation for either apartial or a complete removal of the productsV in the drum.

It is another object to locate the power drive for the drum on thetilting mounting frame, allowing this drive to move with the drum whenbeing tilted, thereby simplifying the operative features of the machine.

It is also an object of this invention to locate the apertures throughwhich the material is passing in independent relation to the circularopenings of the drum.

It is a further object to locate these apertures in stationary mountingspositioned at each end of the drum.

It is another object to provide a machine which embodies certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as willbe referred to in the description to follow and pointed out morespecifically in the subjoined claims.

We attain these various objects by the machine illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of apreferred construction of the mixer.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a partial sectional View of a modified design of the drum ona reduced scale.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the mixer on a reduced scale.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate sectional views of the respective outflow andinflow heads of the drum, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a detail view of an device on line 1 1, Figure 4. uReferring to the drawings, the mounting frame or support IU, preferablymade of structural steel and welded or riveted together, comprises inthe main, two uprights I I and I2 of triangular formation, joined by across beam I9, each having at their top surfaces a fulcrum in form ofbearing blocks I5. These sustain by means of bearing pins I4 supportingmembers I6 of a diamond shaped tilting frame I1. To the latter ismounted a drum 20, having the formation of either a double cone asshown, or anv oval barrel-like construction,

At the farthest ends of frame I1 are securely mounted thereto, drumsupports 2l, 22, which serve the purpose to sustain drum 2! by means ofa stationary shaft 25, which is fast in said supports.

Secured to each end of drum 2t are circular, wheel-like carriers 21, 23,rotatable on shaft Z5, possessing angular displaced spokes 29, to permita better transmission of the products during a rotation of the drum.Carriers 21, 28, are preferably rotated on antifriction bearings 26,held within a suitable dust-proof housing or adjustable spring mounting24, positioned by flanges 23, secured to shaft 25.

To carrier 28 is fastened a sprocket wheel 36, connected with a chain 3|to an electric motor 32 which is suspended from frame I1 by means ofinclined straps 33, rigidly connecting the motor with this movableframe.

The electric outlet box 34, connecting the wiring o-f the motor with theoutside source of the current, may preferably be located near one of thebearing blocks I5 of the frame to give the least amount of swingingmotion to the incoming wires.

Against carriers 21, 28 at the openings of the drum are pressed, in anaxial direction, two respective covering heads or caps 35, 36. Thesecaps are slidable on shaft 25 and pressed against respective carriers21, 28, by means of helical springs 31 seated at their outer ends inbrackets 38 forming part with frame I1, Fig. 7. The other ends ofsprings 31 are positioned on threaded supports 38 adjustably held incaps 35, 36.

The hubs of the caps are provided with a packing 39 of asbestos orsimilar material to provide an elastic alignment.

The outer contact surfaces of caps 35, 36, facing the rotating endsurfaces of respective carriers 21, 28, are provided with a partial facelining 4I made of asbestos or similar material.

These various packings and linings in caps 35, 36 do not alone serve thepurpose to align as well as smoothen the contact surfaces, but they alsofurnish an excellent means of enclosing all possible openings in thepathways towards and away from the rotating drum. Both caps are providedwith a guide sleeve 5I protruding to within the carriers 21, 28.

Caps 35, 36 are prevented from rotating by means of plates 49, which aremounted to the upper surface of frame I1 and overlap protruding parts ofsaid caps. The inflow cap 36 has at its top surface an opening 42 intowhich is entered the end part 43 of a flexible feeding chute 44, mountedindependent of the mixer. Said chute is formed by two pipes or tubes 45,46 of which the latter fits over the other and is slidable thereon. Tube45 is flexibly connected to a hopper (not shown) while tube 46 isflexibly joined with end part 43 by means of a globular joint 41. Withinthis joint is located a butterfly valve 48, to regulate or stop the flowof the material passing through chute 44.

Outflow cap 35 is provided with an extension 55 having a globularformation at its outer end, to be joined with a tube 56 slidable inanother tube 51. The latter is flexibly held in a joint 58 forming apart of an outlet 59. The flow of material through tubes 56, 51, whichcomprise a chute 60, may be stopped in an emergency by means of abutterfly valve 64 in extension 55.

The product fed into the drum at chute 44 will be drawn towards thecentre of the drum by gravity as well as by the mixing blades or vanes50 located at the inner surfaces of the drum. They are arranged in sucha manner as to partly lift the product during rotation and let it slideas well as drop in a direction towards the centre of the drum.

The drum will be filled to a certain height above the lower innersurface level of cap 35 so that thereby the mixed product canautomatically leave the mixing machine through chute 6U.

If desired the drum and its frame I1 may be slightly tilted and loweredat its output end, by means of an adjustable tilt control 65, comprisingtwo blades 66, fastened to the sides o-f frame I1 and above the bearingblocks I5. Each blade is provided with a circular slot 61, through whichpasses a screw 68 held in respective uprights Il and I2. Screws 68,pressing against blades 66, will positively locate the tilted frame atany angle desirable within the limits of the slot.

In order to facilitate as well as more readily I control the operationof tilting the drum, a crank shaft 1I is provided, which is supported onframe I8 vin a bearing 12. A gear 13, forming a part with the crankshaft, engages teeth 14 on the circular edge of one of the blades 66.

The advantage of providing a tilt-control consists in feeding anddrawing out the product faster, without requiring an increase in speedof the drum. The latter would be essential if, for instance, the productwould move into the drum at a rate of speed to impede the iiow of theproduct through the entrance wheel 28. If the drum moves faster and at arate of speed which will be in definite relation with the speed of theincoming product, a clogging can not take place. It, therefore, is quiteevident that if the drum is tilted instead of accelerated, the sameresult, to move the products quicker, will take place accordingly.

Frame I1 may be reenforced by a bridge member 63, welded to or fastenedin some other convenient manner to the middle of the frame above bothbearing blocks, I5.

Suspension rods 6I, 62, bent into a V shape, are supported at their bendat the top of the bridge member and fastened by means of threadedmembers or other convenient elements to the tilting frame near to eachend thereof.

The drum is provided with a suitable manhole cover 16, screwed to theouter surface of the drum. This manhole serves the purpose to make theinterior of the drum accessible for cleaning purposes.

After the full quantity of the products coming through chute 44, hasbeen fed into the drum and the mixing operation is to cease, it isgenerally required to empty the drum completely. This is done by tiltingthe drum, as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 1, suiciently far tocause an outflow of all the products. During this period the drum willbe rotated by the motor, which is moved with the raising part of theframe and drum.

With this mixer it will not alone be possible to feed and mix, as wellas discharge perishable products while they are entirely enclosed andunder cover, but the feeding and discharging may be performed while themixer is rotating. Furthermore the discharge is caused by an overow inthe drum, thereby rendering the operations required for the productsentirely automatic and continuous in flow, eliminating the time andlabor consuming process of operating the products in batches or charges.

When mixing products, it is the tendency of the larger and heavierpieces to keep separated from the lighter pieces, which generally remainat the top of the bulk of the product.

In the mixer of the present disclosure the arrangement of the vanes orblades and the formation of the drum is fashioned in such a manner thatthe different size pieces of the product are thrown against each other.A volume of small pieces is pounded into one of larger pieces and viceversa, so that both kinds are bound to mix and furnish the desiredresult, which is complete uniformity of output.

The mixing operation of the rotating drum may be enhanced, if sodesired, by providing the stationary shaft 25 with suitable ns orpropellers l5, which may be fastened in any suitable manner, Fig. 3.

While these and other advantages of our invention may be attained by themechanism disclosed and described, We desire to have it understood, thatWe may make such alterations and l modications which require no morethan mechanical skill and which will not place in jeopardy the spirit ofour invention.

What We claim by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules l which comprises arotating drum having an axially positioned granule inlet at one end andan axially positioned granule outlet at the opposite end, means tosupport said drum to tilt on an axis to its axis of rotation, mixingblades Within said drum, a non-rotating inlet and a non-rotatingoverflow outlet sealed against said inlet and outlet openingsrespectively and telescoping inlet and outlet chutes leading to saidinlets and outlets respectively to permit tilting of said drum 25without disconnection from said chutes.

2. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules Which comprises a shaftsupporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported atits ends on said spiders and having an inlet open. ing about said shaftat one end and an outlet opening about said shaft at the opposite endsand an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet andoutlet openings respectively and resilient means for pressing said inletand said outlet members against said openings respective'ly.

3. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaftsupporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported at40 its ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening aboutsaidv shaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft atthe opposite ends and an inlet member and an outlet member sealedagainst said inlet and outlet 45 openings respectively, said shafthaving mixing.

blades mounted thereon.

4. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaftsupporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supporto0 edat its ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening aboutsaid shaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft atthe opposite ends and an inlet member and an outlet member sealedagainst said inlet and outlet openings respectively, and a frameworksupporting said drum and tiltable about an axis at right angles to theaxis of said drum.

5. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaftsupporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported atits ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening about saidshaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft at theopposite ends an an inlet member and an outlet member sealed againstsaid inlet and outlet openings respectively and mixing blades mounted onand spaced from the inner surface of said drum.

6. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a rotatingdrum, means to continuously feed granules into the agitated mass ofgranules Within said drum for mixing, an outlet in said drum tocontinuously discharge mixed granules from sai-d drum and further meansto change, in axial direction, the location of the point of arrival ofthe incoming granules at the mass in the drum.

'7. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises arotating drum having inlet and outlet openings for said granulespositioned axially at opposite ends, said drum increasing in diameterfrom said inlet and decreasing toward said outlet, mixing blades mountedon the inner surface of said drum and extending spirally in onedirection and blades mounted on said blades and extending spirally in adirection at an angle to said first-mentioned blades, a stationary shaftthrough said drum and stationary blades mounted on said shaft.

8. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaft,supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported atits ends on said spiders and having an inlet opening about said sha-ftat one end and an outlet opening about said shaft at the other end, aninlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outletopenings respectively, mixing blades mounted spirally in the innersurfaces and said drum, mixing blades mounted on said first-mentionedblades and extending transversely thereof and mixing blades mounted onsaid shaft.

W. MILES RYAN. JOHN W. BOLD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,076, 163. April 6, 1957.

WILLIAM MILES RYAN, ET AL.

first column, line 19, claim l, before "to" insert the Word transverse'and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may Conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this lst day of June, A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

